Mail box and letter-carrier&#39;s pouch



Aug. 18, 1925. V 1,550,597

L. VlEZZl MA IL BOX AND LETTER CARRIERS POUCH Filed June 2 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Lu/c/ V/Ezz/ WITNESSES A TTORNE VS Aug. 18, 1925. 1,550,597

L. VIEZZI MAIL BOX AND LETTER CARRIERS POUCH Filed June 28, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 LU/G/ M5221 Arm/mm Patented Aug. 18 19 25.

LUIGI VIEZZI, OF NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNO'R OF ONE-HALF TOJOSEPH- STILZ, OF WEST NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY.

V MAIL BOX AND LETTER-CARRIERS POUCH.-

' Application filed June 28, 1924. SerialNo. 723,000.

To all whom it may concern: j 7 Be it known that I, LUIGI VIEZZI, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of North Bergen, in the county of Hudsonand State-0f New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Mail'Box and Letter-Carriers Pouch, of which the following is adescription.

My invention 'while useful for other purposesv is more particularly intended for embodiment in a mail-box and letter-carriers pouch arranged'to operate in conjunction with each other with a view to fill the pouch with the accumulated mail in the letter-box and to close and lock both the mailbox and pouch in such a manner that the letter carrier does not touch the mail to be collected and is not afforded access to the same, thus preventing pilfering of the mail by unfaithful collectors thereof.

For the purpose mentioned the letter-box and pouch are adapted to be connected with each other at their closed bottoms which latter are then capable of opening into the pouch to allow the contents of the letterbox to drop into the pouch, said pouch upon being disconnected from the mail-box causing an automatic closing and locking of the bottoms of the mail-box and pouch.

The present invention-is an improvement on the mail-box and letter-carriers pouch forming the subject matter of Letters Patent No. 934,245, granted to me September 14, 1909.

The general object of the present invention is to improve the mechanism particu larly with respect to the locking and unlocking means pertaining to the box and pouch. H

The nature of the invention and its distinguishing features and advantages will clearly appear as the description proceeds.

Reference is tobe had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, it being understood that the drawings aremerely illustrative of one example of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the pouch attached to the mail-box for transferring the accumulated mail in the box to the pouch;

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the box and pouch in juxtaposition but with the bottoms of both closed; the" section being on line 2-2, Figureo; f q

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the bottom of the mail-box and the bottom of the pouch opened;

Figure dis a detail in vertical section indicated by the'line 1-4 of Figure 3, the

View showing a latch for the drop bottom sections of the mail box;

Figure 5 is an inverted plan view of the mailbox parts being in section as indicated bythe line 55, Figure 2; v I

Figure 6 is an inverted plan view of the letter-carriers pouch parts being in section on the line in which the section is taken in Figure 5 but looking in the reverse direction as indicated by the respective arrows in Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 5 with the locking element appurtenant to the pouch irremovably held by the locking mechanism appurtenant to the letter-box;

Figure 8 is a plan View of a device adapted tobe supported in horizontal positions on a wall or other support and constituting means to unlock the letter-carriers pouch;

Figure 9 is a front view of the device shown in Figure 8;

Figure 9 is a section on theline 9-9 in Figure 9.

In practice, the mail-box or letter-box 10 is attached to any suitable support, not shown, and the bottom of the mail-box 10 is adaptedto be connected with'thebottom of aletter-carrierspouch 17 of leather or other suitable material to allow of transferring the accumulated mail matter from the mail-box 10 into the pouch 17 without the letter-carrier in charge of the pouch being able to handle or to have access to the trans ferred mail.

The bottom of the mail-box 10 is formed of two sections 11 and 12, which is connected 'by hinges '13 with thefront and rear of the box 10 at the lower end thereof soas to allow said bottom sections 11, 1 2 to swing downward to an inclined open position as in Figure3 or raised to ahorizontal closed position as shown in. Figures 1 and 2. The bottom sections 11 and 12 are provided at the sides with upwardly extending flanges 14, the flanges of one section overlapping the flanges of the other section and being receivable in the raised position of the bot tom sections in a housing surrounding the lower portion of the box 10 and forming an integral part thereof. The bottom section 12 is adapted to be engaged near its sides by spring catches 16 secured to the mail box 10 at opposite sides thereof at the interior so as to normally hold the sections 11 and 12 at the bottom of the mail box 10 in a closed position for the accumulation of the mail.

The pouch 17 is provided at its bottom with a head 18 of sheet metal orother suitable stiff material and thesaid bottom end of the pouch is normally closed by the bottom sections 19, 20 which are connected by hinges 21 to said head 18. The bottom sections 19, 20 are provided at'the-ir sides with overlapping flanges 22, 23 similar to the flanges 14 on the bottom sections 11 and 12. The bottom section 19 of the pouch is adapted to be engaged near the sides by spring catches 24 similar to the spring catches 16 fastened to the head 18 at the interior. Thus, by the described arrangement the bottom sections 19, 20 of the pouch 17 are normally closed.

At the interior of the pouch 17 is arran ed a partition in the form of a bag 25 of leat er or other flexible material and secured at its mouth 26 to the inner Wall of the pouch 17 approximately midway between the top and bottom of the pouch. By the provision of the bag-like partition 25 the pouch 17is divided into a top and bottom compartmentand said partition or bag 25 can be pushed into either compartment. Thus, when the bottom sections 19, 20 of the pouch are closed and the closure 27 at the side of the pouch is open, the bag 25 is pushed down into the lower compartment so as to allow of the filling of the pouch with mail matter to be delivered by the letter carrier" who may then follow his route in the usual manner and deliver his letters from the pouch. -VVhen the letter carrier reaches'the end of his route and has completed the delivery of his mail, he closes the closure 27 and then reverses the position of the pouch 17 so that the bottom sections 19, 20 are on top to allow the connecting of the said bottom sections 19, 20 with the bottom sections 11, 12 of the letter-box 10 for opening the bottom of said letter-box and opening the bottom of the pouch 17 for transferring "the contents of the box into the pouch. The mail matter which drops into the pouch 17 reverses the bag 25 therein so as to extend the latter into a normal upper, but new lower, compartment.

The above described features generally are fully disclosed and described in my issued patent referred to and need no further description herein.

In accordance with the present invention novel locking means and operating means bottom and the pouch bottom.

therefor are provided comprising correlated elements on the bottom sections of the mailbox 10 and on the head 18 ofthe pouch 17 to effect the closing and opening of the box The same Will be next described.

On one bottom section 11 of mail-box 10 is a spindle 28 held rigid in a socket 29.

Said spindle 28 has a conical head 30 and adjacent to said head annular bevelled beads 31 with intervening annular grooves 32. On the bottom section 12 at the under side is a casing 33 enclosing lock mechanism and operating means therefor, as iollows:

Adjacent the edge of the bottom section 12 to lie in juxtaposition to the axis of the spindle 28, is a tubular guide 34, formed by casing 33. A plurality of lock pins 35 are disposed transversely in aside of a bushing 36 forming part of the lock mechanism and are adapted to bebrought into and out of register with lock plungers 135 in a fixed block 37, said plungers 135 being under the pressure of coil springs 235 in said block 37. The bushing 36 with the pins 35 is adapted to have sliding movement in the guide tube 34 and relatively to the block 37 and plungers 135. Bushing 36 has a transverseclosi'ire 38 at an end thereof, the other end being open, and said closure 38 has a laterally projecting edge portion 39 at a side thereof. A presser lever 40 bears against the closure 38 for sliding the bush ing 36 and lock pins 35 in one direction. Said lever 40 is pivoted at one end as at 41 to bottom section 12. The lever 40 is adapted to be operated in one direction by one of the latches 16, said one latch 16 being adapted to pass through an opening '42 in bottom section 12 adjacent to an end of the latter. A second opening 142 is formed in bottom section 12 at the opposite end to receive the other latch 16 as clearly seen in' Figures 5 and 7. For simultaneously releasing both latches 16, the one latch through the movement of lever 40 and the other through a pr'esser foot 43, a bar 44 is disposed longitudinally in the casing 33 and connects at one end by a link 45 with lever 40 between the ends of said lever as at 46, the opposite end of said bar 44 having the presser foot 43 integral therewith lying at one side of the opening 142 for pressure against the adjacent latch 16. A latch 47 is pivoted at one end to link 45 and pivoted between its ends to the bloc: 37 as at 48. The nose of said latch 47 is adapted to engage beneath the projecting edge portion 39 of closure 38. The numeral 49 indicates a guide plate on bottom section 12. The numeral 50 indicates a short partition member disposed longitudinally i-n casing 33 in the path of closure 38 to limit the movement of bushing 36 in one direction, said bushing being limited inits movementin the opposite direction by 'a partition member 51 alining with the partition member 50.

The lock mechanism' and its operating means on the bottom sections 11, 12 of the ing with those described as follows: The

part-s corresponding with the parts 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36, 37, 40, 43, 44, 45, 47 and 49 I have designated respectively asn128, 129, 130,131, 132, 133, 134, 136, 137, 140, 143, 144, 145, 147 and 149. The opening designated 242 corresponds with the opening 42 and the opening indicated at 342 corresponds with the opening 142.

With the above construction, the lock mechanism and its operating means, when the pouch 17 is inverted so that its bottom sections 19 and 20 are uppermost, are so disposed that the spindle 28 on the box 10 may be entered in the guide 134 of the pouch- 17. At the same time the spindle 128 on the pouch 17 may enter the guide 34 on box 10. The entrance of the spindle 128 in the guide 34 will cause the lock pins 35 to slip over the head 130 and over the annular ribs 131 so that the several pins 35 will be disposed in the annular grooves 132. The I continuedinward movement of the spindle 128 will cause its head 130 to engage the closure 38 and thereby move the bushing 36 forwardly, taking the pins35 out of register with the plungers 135. Movement of closure 38 will cause the lever 40 to engage the adjacent latch 16 for releasing said latch.

.At the same time through link 45 and bar 44 the presser foot 43 will engage and release the other latch 16 on the box 10. The bottom sections 11 and 12 of the box may now drop to the open position shown in Figure 3. At the same time that the'spindle 128 was releasing the latches 16, the spindle 28 by entrance in-the guide 134 and bushing 136 will have effected release of the latches 24 on the. pouch 17 permitting the bottom sections 19 and 20 of the pouch to rise in unison to the dropping of the bottom sections 11 and 12 so that the bottom sections of the box and the bottom sections of the pouch will assume the positions in Figure 3. c The contents of the box 10 will now drop into the pouch 17 to the bag 25 therein which, it will be noted, is not accessible by the opening of the closure 27 of the pouch. The mail having been deposited in the pouch 17 the pouch cannot now be released from the box 10 until the sections 11 and 12 and 19 and 20 arein the closed positions. This is so because after the entrance of the spindle 28 into the guide tube 134 and its locking by the bushing 136 andthe locking of the spindle'128 by the pins in bushing 36,-the withdrawal of the spindles is prevented because the locking pins camiot slip over theribs 31 and 131. This is so because said locking pins are out of register with the plungers 135 and only the register withthe plungers and the yielding of the plungers permit the pins to slip over the members of the spindles. Moreover, the bushing 36 and 136 cannot be slid to a position for the locking pins to'register with the plungers because of the enga ement of the latch 47 with the member 39. ence, the pouch is raised to close said bottom sections 11, 12 and 19, 20 so that they assume the positions shown in Figures 1 and 2.

' With the closing of the bottoms'of the box and pouch the latches 16, which are spring latches, will have engaged the lever 40 and vthe presser foot 43. The movement of the lever 40 will give movement to the link and said movement of link 45 will have" rocked the latch 47 out of engagement with the projecting edge portion 39 of lock bushing 36, so that the continued movement of the lever 40 under the pressure of the adjacent latch 16 will slide the bushing 16 to the position that thepins 35 Will register with the yielding plungers 135. Hence, the spindles 28 and 128 may now be withdrawn, the

pins slipping over the annular ribs 31 andv 131 and over the heads 30 and 130.

In order to release the bottom sections 19 and 20 of the pouch'after the pouch has been taken to the post oifice I provide a spindle 228 corresponding with the spindles 28 and 128. Said spindle 228 is on a plate 52 which is swivelled on a head .53 formed with bracketloops 54 adapted to be slipped over an upstanding hook 555 on a wall bracket 56 fixedly secured in any convenient position in the post ofiice. The spindle 128 is rigid with an arm 57 pivoted at'its outer end as at 58 to one end of base plate 52. A second arm 59 is pivoted as at 60 to the opposite end of base plate 52 and carries a guide tube 61 adjacent to and parallel with the spindle 228. The arm 59 has a latch spring 62 extending beneath the other arm 57, so that the arm 57 cannot swing downwardly except as the arm 59 and its spring 62 are swung on the pivot 60. To latch the arm 59 against swinging a spring latch 63 is provided secured at one end as at 64 to'base plate 52. Said latch 63 carries a stud 65 projecting through a hole in the base plate 52 and into the guide tube 61' so that said guide tube and the arm 59 are held against swinging movement on the pivot 60. However, when the pouch 17 is presented to the wall fitting asdescribed the spindle 228 is caused to enter the guide tube 134 to release the lock mechanism on time the spindle 128 on the pouch will enter the guide -tube '61 and it will move forward a plunger '66 'insaid'guide tube, said plunger having an enlarged head 67 the movement of which is adapted to be arrested by an internal annular shoulder 68in guide tube 61. Forward movements of the plunger 66 under the pressure of the inserted spindle 128" causes the stud 65 to move out of engagement with the arm 59, the latch 63 yielding to the pressure. With the removal of the latch stud 65 the arms 57, 59 may now swing downwardly and due to the engagement of the guide 61 and spindle 228 with the spindle 128, and guide tube 134, the bottom sections 19 and 20 may now be moved to the open position for affording access to the mail in the pouch 17 above the bag 25. It will be readily understood that the release of the locking mechanism of the pouch by the spindle 228 is identical with the release of the latches 16 by the spindle 128.

The mail, if desired, may be dumped from the pouch 17 by turning the pouch about the axis of the swivel connection between the base plate 52 and the wall bracket 56.

Reverting to the dropping of the mail matter from the box 10 to the pouch 17 and noting Figures 1 and 2, means is provided to ascertain whether all mail has dropped from the mail box and to indicate to the carrier that all the mail has fallen from the mail box. Said indicating means consists of an arm 69 extending across the interior of box 10. One end 70 of arm 69 is pivoted to a side of the box 10 and said end carries at the exterior of the box a pointer 71 mov able over a dial 72 Thus, with the drop- 'ping of mail from the box 10 and the consequent dropping of the arm 69, the pointer 71 will indicate that the arm has dropped to the lower position and hence, that it is unsupported by any mail in the box 10, thereby indicating that all mail has fallen from said box.

In practice the arm 69 is employed as a feeler within the box since the carrier has no access to the interior. Thus, the carrier when the mail is permitted to drop to the pouch and the carrier wishes to ascertain whether any remains, he takes hold of the pointer 71 and vibrates the arm 69 vertically in the box. iVhen the carrier releases the pointer 71 and permits the arm 69 to gravitate the position of the pointer 71 relatively to the dial 7 2 will indicate whether thearm has dropped to the lowest position which it will do if no mail remains in the box. If the arm 69 has not dropped to its lowest position then the box is jarred until the remaining mail escapes to the pouch and the indicator will then show that the arm has fallen to the lowest position and show that no mail remains in the box.

In the top 73 of box 10 is formed an opening 7a to constitute a letter drop and in order to prevent the-abstraction otmail from the box through the letter drop 74, I provide the tollowing'mea'ns:

A closure is provided for the letter drop 74 and has a handhold 76. Said closure 75 is on a rockable guard 7'? pivoted as at 7 8 to a bracket 7 9 rigid with the top 73 at the interior. The bracket 79 forms one side 80 of a chute 81, the opposite side of which is formed by a plate 82 fixed as at 83 to the front oi the top 73 below drop' opening 74. The arrangement is such that letters inserted through the drop 74; will pass downwardly into the chute 81. The lower end of chute 81 is closed by the guard 77, the bottom 84c 01 which is curved. The guard 77 is overbalanced so that the curved bottom 8 1 normally assumes a position closing the lower end of the chute 81. At this time the closure plate 7 5 is held in the raised position and with it the handhold 76. A letter now inse'rtec'l'through the drop 7% will pass to the chute 81 and be arrested by the guard bottom 84 and in order to drop the letter into the box the handheld 76 must be lowered, thereby rocking the guard 77 limit myself strictly to the exact details herein illustrated, silnce, manifestly, the same can be considerably varied without departure from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A box and correlated pouch, each having a bottom formed of two hinged sections, latch means on the box to hold the bottom sections of the box in closed position, lock mechanism on fllOOttOlIl section of the box, an element on the pouch adapted to be engaged by the lock mechanism on the box, releasing means on the box operative in one direction by said pouch element to move the latch means of the box to unlatching position for releasing the box bottom sections, said relasing means operative also in the opposite direction by the latch meanson the box to dispose the lock mechanism on the box in unlocking position to release said tion of the pouch, an element on the box adapted to be engaged by the lock mechthe latch means onthe pouch to dispose the lock mechanism on the pouch in unlocking position to release the box element.

2. A box and a correlated pouch each having a bottom formed of hinged sections,

latch means on thebox to hold the box bot- '"tom sections in closed position, latch means on the pouch to hold the pouch bottom secon a bottom section of the pouch, releasing means on the box to release the latches on the box, releasing means on the pouch to release latches on the pouch, an element on the pouch to operate said releasing means on the box to simultaneously release the latches on the box and dispose the lock on the box in looking position, said releasing means on the box being operative by the latch means on the box to restore the lock on the box to unlocking position, and an element on the box to operate said releasing mechanism of the pouch for releasing the latches on the pouch and simultaneously disposing the lock on the pouch in looking position, the releasing mechanism on the pouch being operative by the latches on the pouch to dispose the lock on the pouch in unlocking position for releasing the box element.

3. A box and a correlated pouch each having closures formed of hinged sections, a lock on one of the box sections, a lock on one of the pouch sections, each lock having a portion thereof slidable to or from looking position, an element on the box to move the sliding portion of the pouch lock and adapted to be locked by the latter, an element on the pouchto move the sliding portion of the box lock and adapted to be locked by the latter, latch means to hold the box sections closed, said latch means being releasable with the movement of the sliding portion of the box lock, latch means to hold the pouch sections closed, said secondmentioned latch means being releasable with the movement of the sliding portion of the box lock, latch means to hold the pouch sec tions closed, said second-mentioned latch means being releasable with the movement of the movable section of the pouch lock, and means on the box and on the pouch operative by the latches to restore the sliding portions of the respective locks.

4. In a correlated box and pouch, each having closures formed of hinged sections, a lock on one section of the box and a lock on one section of the pounch, each lock comprising a slidable tubular portion, transverse ins ad p ed t p oject said tubu ar portion and to slide therewith, coacting lock members related to said pins to permit yielding of the latter in the unlocking posi-- tion of said pins, an element on a box section adapted to enter said sliding tubular portion and be en aged by the pins thereof as well as adapte to move said portion to locking position, a similar element on the box adapted to enter the tubular lock portion of the pouch to be engaged by the pins and to move the said portion to locking position, and means to release said elements from the respective locks with the closing of the box sections.

5. In a correlated box and pouch, each having closures formed ofhinged sections, a lock on one section of the box and alock on one section of the pouch, each lock comprising a slidable tubular portion, transverse pins adapted to project into said tubular portion and to slide therewith, coacting lock members related to said pins to permit yielding of the latter in the unlocking position of said pins, an element on a box section adapted to enter said sliding tubular portion and be engaged by the pins thereof as well as adapted to move saidportion to locking position, a similar element on the box adapted to enter the tubular lock portion of the pouch to be engaged by the pins and to move the said portion to locking position, and means to re lease said elements from the respective looks with the closing of the box sections; together with guide tubes on the said box section and on the said pouch section to guide the elements to the respective locks and to effect an interlock between the pouch and the box.

6. A box and a correlated pouch each having a bottom formed of hinged sections, latch means on the box to hold the box bottom sections in closed position, latch means on the pouch to hold the pouch bottom sections in closed posit-ion, lock mechanism on a bottom section of the box, lock mechanism on a bottom section of the pouch, releasing means on the box to release the latches on the box, releasing means on the pouch to release latches on the pouch, an element, on the pouch to operate said releasing means on the box to simultaneously release the latches on the box and dispose the lock on the box in looking position, said releasing means on the box being operative by the latch means on the box to restore the lock on the box to unlocking position, and an element on the box to operate said releasing mechanism of the pouch for releasing the latches on the pouch and simultaneously disposing the lock on the pouch in locking position, the releasing mechanism on the pouch being operative by the latches on the pouch to dispose the lock on the pouch in unlocking position for-releasing the box element, each of said releasing mechanisms comprising a leve p rat ve y 9339 latch n the box to be actuated by the latch, said lever adapted by reverse movement to disengage the latch, a presser foot to disengage the other latch on the boX, connection between the resser foot and the lever and an element operative ith the movement of the lever, and presser foot to engage or release a lock part to hold the same in locking position or to permit movement of thesame to unlock ing position. i

I. In a pouch, swvingable closure sections, latch means to hold said sections closed, and adevice to release-the latches on the pouch, said device comprising a spindle, a base carrying the spindle, and a supporting means to which said base is swivelled.

8. In a pouch of the class described adapted'to be connected With a mail-box to re ceive mail therefrom, said pouch having hinged closnre sections, lock mechanism on a closure section of the ponch, latch means to hold the pouch sections closed, and means to unlock and open the pouch, said means comprising a base, a spindle on said base, means on the spindle adapted to be engaged by the lock on the pouch and adapted to release thelatch means on the pouch, a spindle on the pouch, a tubular guide on said base adapted to receive the spindle onrthe pouch,

SWlIlglIlg arms cn the base carrying the first 'inenti'oned spindle and the said tubu lar guide, and latch means for said arms releafiilbl? by the spindle on the pouch.

\ LUIGI VIEZZI. 

